Adidas hands consumer business to Ketchum Life

Martin, has been hired on a project basis to promote a footwear range

that is set to launch in March.

The account was won following a four-way pitch that took place last

month.

Martin, who quit Adidas in February after heading global PR for two

years, reports to UK head of PR Sarah Gower on the account. Gower would

say nothing more about range other than pledging a new 'concept' in

footwear.

Hill & Knowlton is set to continue as Adidas's retained UK PR agency and

will handle the launch for a separate major UK footwear product launch

next year, details of which are also being kept under wraps.

The H&K team will also assist in UK PR for the football World Cup in

Japan and South Korea next summer.

Work so far has included ensuring a high profile for the Adidas brand as

England's group opponents were revealed on 1 December.

Gower is anticipating a major boost in media relations in the run-up to

and during the competition as Adidas battles against sports goods rivals

to gain maximum coverage.

Adidas is a Germany-based company quoted on the Frankfurt stock exchange

and is the world's second largest sports goods firm after Nike. Its UK

base is near Manchester.

In March this year, Cohn & Wolfe was appointed to handle PR for Adidas's

sponsorship of the summer's British Lions rugby tour.

Other Ketchum Life sports marketing clients include Carlsberg's

sponsorship of Liverpool Football Club and work for Pepsi and sports car

brand MG.